Crystal Palace Park

File:Crystal Palace Park - 1857.jpg

After the 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, Joseph Paxton appealed for the retention of The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, but the government decreed that the Palace be removed. Paxton formed the Crystal Palace Company to purchase the Hyde Park Crystal Palace for £70,000, as well as a new site at the summit of Sydenham Hill in Kent for the construction of an enlarged Crystal Palace which cost a total of £1.3 million.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk/history/the-rebuilding-at-sydenham-1852-1854-2 |title=History of The Crystal Palace (Part 1) |work= Crystal Palace Foundation }} The 389-acre site consisted of woodland and the grounds of the mansion known as Penge Place owned by Paxton's friend and railway entrepreneur Leo Schuster.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk/history/leaving-hyde-park-1851-2 |title=Leaving Hyde Park, 1851 |work= Crystal Palace Foundation }} This land as enclosed in the early 19th century previously made up the northern part of Penge Common, a large area of wood pasture which abutted the Great North Wood. Between 1852 and 1854, an enlarged and redesigned Crystal Palace was rebuilt at the new site, set in a park constructed by Sir Joseph Paxton's Crystal Palace Company.{{cite web |url=http://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/780/about_crystal_palace_park/2 |title=About Crystal Palace Park: History of the park |work=Bromley Council |access-date=28 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927212133/http://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/780/about_crystal_palace_park/2 |archive-date=27 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}

File:Iguanodon Crystal Palace.jpg's Iguanodon statues.]]

The development of ground and gardens of the park (which straddled the border between Surrey and KentCamberwell: Divisions of the New Borough (Map) Ordnance Survey, 1885) cost considerably more than the rebuilt Crystal Palace. Edward Milner designed the Italian Garden and fountains, the Great Maze, and the English Landscape Garden, and Raffaele Monti was hired to design and build much of the external statuary around the fountain basins, and the urns, tazzas and vases.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk/history/the-rebuilding-at-sydenham-1852-1854-2 |title=The Rebuilding at Sydenham, 1852-1854 |work= Crystal Palace Foundation }} The series of fountains constructed required the building of two {{convert|284|ft|m|abbr=on}} high water towers, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, at either end of the palace.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk/history/history-of-the-crystal-palace-part-2 |title=History of The Crystal Palace (Part 2) |work= Crystal Palace Foundation }} The sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins was commissioned to make 33 lifesized models, completed in 1854, of the (then) newly discovered dinosaurs and other extinct animals in the park.{{cite web|title=Dinosaur Audio Tour|url=http://www.audiotrails.co.uk/dinosaurs/}} The park was also given a gift of a megatherium skull by Charles Darwin. The rebuilt Crystal Palace was opened by Queen Victoria in June 1854.

Rail access to the park became possible when the Crystal Palace railway station opened in 1854. In 1864, Thomas Webster Rammell experimented with a 600-yard pneumatic railway in the tunnel between the Sydenham and Penge gates to the park.{{cite web |url=http://www.capsu.org/library/documents/0040.html |title=Making History - The Crystal Palace atmospheric railway |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212071034/http://www.capsu.org/library/documents/0040.html |archive-date=12 February 2010 |df=dmy-all }} In 1865, another station, the Crystal Palace (High Level) railway station opened, but this station closed in 1954.{{cite web |url=http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/crystal_palace_high_level/ |title=Crystal Palace High Level and Upper Norwood |work= Disused Stations }}

File:Facupfinal1901-A.jpg and Sheffield United]]

The park has been used for various sporting activities from its early days. The Crystal Palace Park Cricket Ground was created on the site in 1857. In 1894, the two largest fountains were grassed over and the south basin was converted to a football stadium in 1895. The stadium was used to host FA Cup Finals for 20 years starting with the 1895 FA Cup Final until 1914. Crystal Palace F.C. also played their home games at the stadium from 1905 to 1915.

In 1911, the Festival of Empire was held at the park and the park was transformed with buildings designed to represent the British Empire. Many of these buildings remained at the site until the 1940s.

In 1936, The Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk/history/disaster-strikes-1936-2 |title=Disaster strikes, 1936 |work=The Crystal Palace Foundation }} The south water tower was demolished soon afterwards due to fire damage. The north water tower was demolished in 1941, perhaps to eliminate landmarks that German bombers might use to orient themselves during air raids in the Second World War.{{citation |title=Brunel to tower again over Crystal Palace |url= https://www.theguardian.com/society/2007/apr/29/communities.artnews |author= Vanessa Thorpe |work=The Observer |date= 29 April 2007 }}

A 400 ft-long Marine Aquarium was built in 1872 on a part of The Crystal Palace site left vacant after a fire in 1866, but it was not a financial success. A large section of it was destroyed during the demolition of the north water tower. The Crystal Palace transmitting station was built on part of the site of the aquarium in the 1950s.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacefoundation.org.uk/history/crystal-palace-aquarium-co-ltd |title=Crystal Palace Aquarium Co Ltd. |work= Crystal Palace Foundation }}

File:Festival of Empire 1911 from Candian House.jpg held at the park in 1911]]

The park also housed one of the pioneer speedway tracks, which opened for business in 1928. The Crystal Palace Glaziers raced in the Southern and National Leagues up to 1933 when the promotion moved on to a track in New Cross. The extensive grounds were used in pre-war days for motorcycle racing and, after the 1950s, for motorcar racing; this was known as the Crystal Palace circuit. Large sections of the track layout still remain as access roads around the park. The circuit itself fell into disuse after the final race in 1972, although it has been digitally recreated in the Grand Prix Legends racing simulation and 2010 sees the 10 years of campaigning work to reopen the track culminating in Motorsport at the Palace.{{cite news|last=Williams|first=David|title=Motor to the Palace for action-packed vintage racing|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/motor-to-the-palace-for-actionpacked-vintage-racing-8621170.html|access-date=29 May 2013|newspaper=London Evening Standard|date=17 May 2013}}

The National Sports Centre (NSC) was built in 1964 on the old football ground. In 2005 the Mayor of London and the London Development Agency (LDA) took control of the NSC as part of London's bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, and it is now managed by Greenwich Leisure on their behalf. The park also once housed a ski slope.{{cite web|title=Skiers - Edinburgh And Crystal Palace 1967|url=http://www.britishpathe.com/video/skiers-edinburgh-and-crystal-palace}}

After the abolition of the Greater London Council, the ownership of the park was transferred to London Borough of Bromley in 1986, which oversaw a number of restoration works on the site. A third of the park was restored between 2001 and 2003, including the dinosaur figures.{{cite web |url=https://crystalpalacepark.org.uk/history/ |title=History |work=Crystal Palace Park}}

In 2007 the London Development Agency developed a Masterplan for the park that cost almost £70 million.{{Cite web |title=Regeneration of the park |url=https://www.bromley.gov.uk/crystal-palace-park/regeneration-park/2 |website=London Borough of Bromley}}{{Cite web |date=November 2007 |title=Crystal Palace Park Masterplan – Management and Maintenance Plan |url=https://www.bromley.gov.uk/downloads/file/1204/crystal-palace-park-masterplan}} Although the Masterplan received planning permission in December 2010, the funds were never identified.{{Cite web |title=Regeneration Plan Public Information Boards |url=https://crystalpalaceparkregenerationplan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/public-information-boards.pdf}}

In 2015 Bromley council committed resources to an adapted version of the 2007 Masterplan. This regeneration plan included plans to raise a £40 million endowment fund (largely through two residential developments and grant giving bodies) to establish a sustainable business model run by a new charitable trust that would eventually become the sole custodian of the park.{{Cite web |last=Hale |first=Holly |title=Regeneration of the park |url=https://www.bromley.gov.uk/crystal-palace-park/regeneration-park |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=London Borough of Bromley |language=en}} A shadow board was established in 2016, becoming the Crystal Palace Park Trust in 2018 and a registered charity in 2021.{{Cite web |title=CRYSTAL PALACE PARK TRUST overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11360503 |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=CRYSTAL PALACE PARK TRUST - Charity 1193331 |url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5162147 |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk |language=en-GB}} The Trust is expected to take ownership of the park in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Crystal Palace Park Trust plans to take over running of park from Bromley Council |url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/20046929.bromley-council-run-crystal-palace-park-plans-transferred-trust/ |access-date=2022-12-08 |website=News Shopper |language=en}}

File:Bust of Joseph Paxton, Crystal Palace.jpg

The park contains a large bust of Sir Joseph Paxton, first unveiled in 1873. It was sculpted by William F. Woodington, and was originally located looking towards the Palace building over the central pool on the Grand Central Walk.

The Italian Terraces with their sculptures survive from the destroyed Crystal Palace. The upper and lower terraces are linked by flights of steps with sphinxes flanking each flight.{{cite web |url=http://www.victorianweb.org/art/parks/16.html |title=The Italian Terraces at Crystal Palace |work=The Victorian Web }}

File:Tidal Lake Crystal Palace Park.jpg

The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, a group of sculptures of dinosaurs and extinct mammals complete with a 'geological' landscape, are in and around the 'tidal lake' at the southeast side of the park.

A statue of Guy the Gorilla by the sculptor David Wynne was erected in Crystal Palace Park in 1961.{{cite web|url=http://w02.timeout.com/london/big-smoke/features/3163/Animal_statues_in_London.html|title=Animal statues in London|work=Time Out|date=10 July 2007|access-date=17 February 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222214720/http://w02.timeout.com/london/big-smoke/features/3163/Animal_statues_in_London.html|archive-date=22 February 2014}}

File:2005-03-30 - London - Crystal Palace - The Maze 4887758978.jpg

The park contains a free maze. The maze is 160 ft in diameter and occupies a total area of nearly 2000 square yards. The maze was first created around 1870, and it was one of the largest mazes in the country. It later fell into disrepair but was replanted in 1987 by the London Borough of Bromley. In 2009, an artwork was set within the maze, which was restored to celebrate the centenary of the Girl Guide movement. A notice by the entrance to the maze informs of the park's link to the founding of the Girl Guides:{{cite web |title=Girlguiding Centenary Maze |url=http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/about_us/crystal_palace_park_maze.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224141031/https://www.girlguiding.org.uk/about_us/centenary_2009_-_2010/crystal_palace_park_maze.aspx |archive-date=24 February 2011 }}{{cite web |title=Music, Saurians and Colored Fire at the Crystal Palace |url=http://www.timetravel-britain.com/articles/london/crystal.shtml}}

{{blockquote|In 1909 during a Boy Scout rally held in the park a group of girls approached Lord Robert Baden Powell to demand the formation of a similar movement for girls. Baden Powell responded positively to the request and shortly afterwards published his Scheme for Girl Guides. Six thousand girls joined when the organisation was founded in 1910.|Inscription in the park by the entrance to the maze}}

File:Crystal Palace Park - geograph.org.uk - 38598.jpg

In the northern corner of the park is the Crystal Palace Bowl, a natural amphitheatre where large open-air summer concerts were held for nearly 60 years, including Pink Floyd, Elton John, Eric Clapton and the Beach Boys. The Bowl hosted Bob Marley's largest and last ever concert in London on 7 June 1980, which was commemorated in October 2020 when a blue plaque was affixed to the structure.{{Cite web|last=Porter|first=Toby|date=2020-10-20|title=Crystal Palace Bowl, venue where Bob Marley debuted Redemption Song, marked with a plaque|url=https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/crystal-palace-bowl-venue-where-bob-marley-debuted-redemption-song-marked-with-a-plaque/|access-date=2021-01-04|website=South London News|language=en-GB}} The stage was rebuilt in 1996 with a permanent structure designed by Ian Ritchie, which was nominated for the RIBA Stirling Prize, but it later fell into a state of disrepair and became inactive as a music venue.{{Cite web|title=Crystal Palace Concert Platform|url=https://www.ianritchiearchitects.co.uk/projects/concert_stand/|access-date=2021-01-04|website=Ian Ritchie Architects|language=en|archive-date=29 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329233107/https://www.ianritchiearchitects.co.uk/projects/concert_stand/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Crystal Palace Concert Platform|url=https://www.ianritchiearchitects.co.uk/projects/concert_stand/|work=Ian Ritchie Architects|access-date=10 February 2020|archive-date=29 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329233107/https://www.ianritchiearchitects.co.uk/projects/concert_stand/|url-status=dead}} In 2020, London Borough of Bromley Council announced they are working with a local action group to find "creative and community-minded business proposals to reactivate the cherished concert platform".{{cite web|date=20 January 2020|title=Creative proposals wanted for the future of the concert platform|url=https://www.bromley.gov.uk/press/article/1572/creative_proposals_wanted_for_the_future_of_the_concert_platform|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329233108/https://www.bromley.gov.uk/press/article/1572/creative_proposals_wanted_for_the_future_of_the_concert_platform|archive-date=29 March 2020|work=London Borough of Bromley}}

A World War I memorial bell is placed in the park. Crystal Palace was once used as a training ground for the Royal Navy, and was referred to as H.M.S. Victory VI. The bell was originally unveiled in 1931 on the terrace in the park (the location was called the "quarterdeck"), but moved to the present location in the 1970s.{{cite web |url=https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMQ24C_RNVR_Great_War_Memorial_Bell_Crystal_Palace_Park_London_UK |title=RNVR Great War Memorial Bell - Crystal Palace Park, London, UK - Bells on Waymarking.com |work=Waymarking.com }}

File:Crystal Palace Park view over Kent from Upper Terrace.jpg

The Crystal Palace Museum is housed in the only surviving building constructed by the Crystal Palace Company built circa 1880 as a classroom for the Crystal Palace Company's School of Practical Engineering.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacemuseum.org.uk/museum.html |title=Information about the Museum |work=The Crystal Palace Museum |access-date=29 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130817154013/http://crystalpalacemuseum.org.uk/museum.html |archive-date=17 August 2013 |url-status=dead }}

The park is one of the starting points for the Green Chain Walk, linking to places such as Chislehurst, Erith, the Thames Barrier and Thamesmead. Section 3 of the Capital Ring walk round London goes through the park.[http://www.walklondon.org.uk/uploads/File/leaflets/cr3directions(1)_31052010140549.pdf Walk London, Capital Ring, Section 3, Grove Park to Crystal Palace] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927144423/http://www.walklondon.org.uk/uploads/File/leaflets/cr3directions%281%29_31052010140549.pdf |date=27 September 2013 }}

A number of proposals to redevelop the Crystal Palace Park have been put forward since the 1980s. The park was handed to the London Borough of Bromley after the abolition of the Greater London Council in 1986, and a long-fought-over local issue is whether to build on the open space which was the location of the original Crystal Palace building or to leave it as parkland as the Greater London Council had done. In 1989 Bromley proposed the development of the site for hotel and leisure purposes, it culminated in the passing by the House of Commons of the Bromley London Borough Council (Crystal Palace) Act 1990, which limits development on the site.{{cite web |url=https://hansard.digiminster.com/Commons/2013-10-29/debates/13102977000003/CrystalPalacePark |title=Crystal Palace Park |work=House of Commons Hansard |access-date=23 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509202626/https://hansard.digiminster.com/Commons/2013-10-29/debates/13102977000003/CrystalPalacePark |archive-date=9 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url= https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=1989-03-14a.375.0 |title=Bromley London Borough Council (Crystal Palace) Bill (By Order) |work=They Work For You }}

File:Terrace, Crystal Palace Park - geograph.org.uk - 1183888.jpg

In 1997, a planning proposal was submitted which involved 53,000 square metres of leisure floor space, including a 20-screen multiplex. The proposal was opposed by a local campaign group, the Crystal Palace Campaign, set up a month later.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacecampaign.org/history_cpc.htm |title=Background to the Development at Crystal Palace - Campaign History |work=Crystal Palace Campaign }}

In 2003, plan for a modern building in glass was submitted to the Bromley council.{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3248865.stm |title=Glass icon for Crystal Palace |author= Alison Freeman |work=BBC News |date=7 November 2003 }}

In 2007, a £67 million master plan was drawn up by London Development Agency which includes the building of a new sports centre, the creation of a tree canopy to mimic the outline of the palace, the restoration of the Paxton Axis walkway through the park, but it also included a controversial proposal for housing on two parts of the park.{{cite news |url=http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/1777460.67m_crystal_palace_park_masterplan_unveiled/ |title=£67m Crystal Palace Park masterplan unveiled |work=Croydon Guardian |author=Cara Lee and Gemma Wheatley |date=22 October 2007 }} It won government backing in 2010, and the plans were upheld by the High Court in 2012 after a challenge by a local group, the Crystal Palace Community Association.{{cite web |url=http://www.crystalpalacecampaign.org/MasterPlan/CPP_ES_NTS.pdf |title=Masterplan, environmental statement non-technical summary |work=London Development Agency }}{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18421109 |title=High Court upholds £68m Crystal Palace Park redevelopment plans |work=BBC News |date=13 June 2012 }}

In January 2011 the owners of Crystal Palace F.C. announced plans to relocate the club back to the site of the NSC from their current Selhurst Park home, redeveloping it into a 25,000-seater, purpose-built football stadium.{{cite news|title=Crystal Palace unveil plans for National Sports Centre|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/9364649.stm|access-date=29 May 2013|work=BBC Sport|date=20 January 2011}}{{needs update|date=May 2022}}

In 2013, a plan to build a replica of the destroyed Crystal Palace was proposed by a Chinese developer.{{cite news |title=Plans for Crystal Palace replica |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23475994 |date=27 July 2013 |work=BBC News}}{{cite web|title=Crystal Palace Park - what next?|url=http://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/700/crystal_palace_park-what_next|work=London Borough of Bromley Website|publisher=London Borough of Bromley|access-date=15 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011040056/http://www.bromley.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/700/crystal_palace_park-what_next|archive-date=11 October 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=The Crystal Palace - About the development|url=http://www.thelondoncrystalpalace.com/|work=The London Crystal Palace Website|publisher=ZhongRong Group|access-date=15 October 2013}} Bromley Council however cancelled the exclusivity agreement with the developer in 2015.{{cite web|last1=Mann|first1=Will|title=Shattered:£500M Crystal Palace rebuild plan|date=26 February 2015 |url=http://www.nce.co.uk/news/structures/shattered-500m-crystal-palace-rebuild-plan/8679193.article|publisher=New Civil Engineer}} In February 2020 Bromley Council submitted a planning application for a £40 million park regeneration project, adapted from the 2007 masterplan.{{cite news |title=The Crystal Palace Park Regeneration Plan |url=https://www.crystalpalaceparktrust.org/the-future/ |work=Crystal Palace Park Trust}}

{{reflist|2}}

{{commons category|Crystal Palace Park}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160924024003/http://www.cocgb.dircon.co.uk/cry_pal_park.htm Crystal Palace Park] – map of the park as was until recently
• [http://www.victorianlondon.org/buildings/crystalpalace.htm The Crystal Palace, sources from www.victorianlondon.org]

{{LB Bromley}}

{{Parks and open spaces in London}}

{{Capital Ring Walking Route | locale=Crystal Palace | back=Grove Park | forward=Streatham | A=3 | B=4 }}

Category:Crystal Palace, London

Category:Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Bromley

Category:Grade II* listed parks and gardens in London

Category:1854 in London

Category:1854 establishments in England